Wooden paddle steamer Talbot, built John Wood, Port Glasgow 1819, 150grt,
93 x 17 x 11 ft, 60 hp engines by David Napier, Glasgow, registered and owned Greenock.
Provided the inaugural Holyhead - Dublin steam service in 1819.
When steamers owned by the Post-Office were introduced to the route in 1821,
transferred to Brighton-Dieppe and then London-Ostend service.
Stranded ashore near Ostend in a gale on 1 Sept 1833 while taking passengers to
London. All aboard saved. Wreck sold for 2,570 francs.
[from Caledonian Mercury - Thursday 22 April 1819]: On Thursday last, two fine steam boats were launched at Port Glasgow, by Messrs John Wood and Co. shipbuilders there, Their names are the Port-Glasgow and the Erin-go-bragh. The former is intended to ply on the Clyde, and the latter between Holyhead and Dublin. The Erin-go-bragh is one of the largest, and from her peculiar construction, one of the finest steam boats ever built. They both glided majestically into their native element. The Erin-go-bragh arrived at the Broomielaw on Sunday evening. [name Erin-go-bragh possibly then changed at registration to Talbot]
[from Scots Magazine - Sunday 01 August 1819]: Steam Packets. The Rob Roy steam-boat has been plying between Glasgow and Belfast for eighteen months past; and a vessel of this description, the Talbot, has now commenced running between Dublin and Holyhead. The Talbot 170 tons, is 100 feet in length, and is propelled by two engines of thirty horse power each. She is fitted up with two elegant cabins, and indeed her whole appointments are admirable. A vessel of the same size as the Talbot, and named the Waterloo, has also recently been built and is now carrying goods and passengers between Belfast and Liverpool.
[from Morning Post - Thursday 05 September 1833]: The following is an extract from a letter received from the commander of the Talbot, Captain Rigden Major, stating further particulars of this occurrence - "Ostend, Monday, Sept. 2. I left Ostend on Friday night at the stated time, with the wind from SSW with heavy rain, which continued moderate for a few hours, when it began to blow very hard from the north-west, with rain. At daylight a heavy gale; lost our boat, and split our sails. The gale then increased a hurricane, with a heavy sea; and on Saturday, morning we were driven in sight of land near Nieuport, when I shipped some heavy seas, which swept from the deck, the cook-house and everything moveable. The gale still continued; we could not keep off the coast, and when within half a mile of Ostend, we were obliged to run on shore, where we landed all the passengers in safety after the tide had gone off a little."